A very specific craft
The bobbin lace. Its reference city is Arboç, a small town in the south of the province of Tarragona. If the manufacture, which dates back to the eighteenth century, has known moments of decadence and splendor, the dexterity of the lacemakers has remained intact and has made them famous.
Pottery. A tradition that is still very present in the whole Catalan territory, often passed on from generation to generation. It can be found in Tivenys, La Galera and Miravet, where it has been practiced since time immemorial!
Glass. The village of Vimbodí, located next to the emblematic monastery of Poblet, in the Conca de Barberà, has a long tradition of glass making. You can visit the very good Glass Museum, where you can see demonstrations of glassblowers in action. The museum's store, as well as some shops in the area, offer these objects for sale: jugs, bottles, flasks, toys, etc
Herbalism. Here it is called ethno-botany, to emphasize the relationship between people and their environment. It is often the result of an oral transmission, from father to son, of ancient remedies concocted from plants.
Basketry. Like pottery, basketry is still practiced by a few enthusiasts in the hinterland, from Alfara de Carles to Mas de Barberans, who keep the traditions alive. In the Terres de l'Ebre, the art of "pauma" is perpetuated through the design of elaborate pieces made from dwarf palm leaves.
Delicacies
The Catalan government has established a system for classifying quality agricultural products according to their method of production and origin, the main designation being the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), awarded to a product from a specific geographical area in which it has been produced and processed.
From here, it is worth mentioning some regional products that you can take home, to please or to please yourself. We think for example of the hazelnuts of Reus. Extra virgin olive oil, a true liquid gold cultivated since the passage of the Phoenicians, is also excellent, especially from Siurana, but also from the Baix Ebre, Montsià and Terra Alta. Another liquid gold, this one from bees, is found in El Perelló (south of Costa Daurada): the honey is of great quality, and you can follow the beekeepers in their work before going to the store. The calçots (tender Catalan onions that are grilled on the barbecue), harvested in winter - those from the area around Valls have a good reputation - are delicious and will make an original and tasty gift. In general, the market gardening, and in particular the fruit growing, is even richer, with the tasty peaches and clementines in the lead. It is impossible not to mention rice, the undisputed star of the Delta, which is cooked in arròs accompanied by seafood, or according to Cajun recipes, with, for the most intrepid, some frog and eel dishes!
The wines
Thanks to its mild climate and rich soil, Catalonia has long been a land of vineyards. There are more than 300 wineries throughout the region, most of them small family-run businesses that sell their wine directly and open their cellars to visitors. Those who are interested in this subject can also travel through the region following the wine tourism routes offered by the tourist offices, with Priorat, Conca de Barberà and Terra Alta being the most suitable areas.
Priorat. Thanks to its sunny south-facing valleys with little rainfall, red wines with a dark color, dense taste and intense aroma are produced here, as well as dry and sweet white wines. The mineral character is a particularity of this DO.
Terra Alta. In the south of Catalonia and near the Ebro River, bordering on Aragon, full-bodied red wines are produced, as well as whites with high alcohol content, very low acidity and high fruitiness. See especially the "Terra Alta Garnatxa Blanca" (http://doterraalta.com/terra-alta-garnatxa-blanca).
Conca de Barberà. North of Tarragona, this region produces light, highly aromatic, moderately acidic wines: new reds, low alcohol whites and light rosés, as well as cavas. This region is increasingly competing with the Penedès.
Tarragona. This vast wine-growing region in southern Catalonia produces robust reds, light whites, good aromatic rosés, cavas, and sweet wines, such as Muscat of Alexandria. Its official designation is D.O. Tarragonès.
Montsant. It is west of the provincial capital, between the mountainous massif of Montsant and the Mediterranean Sea, where the vines that will give birth to the D.O. Montsant wine grow. About three-quarters of the production is red wine.
Penedès. This vineyard is located between the coastal plain of the Costa Daurada and the massif of Montserrat, further north. While about 10% of the production is red wine, almost the entire majority of the vineyards produce a very good white wine, with the rest being used to produce cava.
Cava. Consumed in Catalonia as champagne is consumed in France, this is a typically Catalan sparkling wine. The varieties of grapes used to make it are mainly Macabeu and Parellada, while the elaboration process is the same as that of champagne.
The Vermut
Although vermouth - vermut or vermú - is thought to have German origins, referring to an aperitif made of wine and whose name is said to come from Wermut (wormwood in German), some people trace its roots back to the ancient thinker and physician Hippocrates, the first man who is said to have macerated plants and flowers in wine. However, this macerated and flavored wine had its moment of glory at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century in the whole western Mediterranean region (Italy, south-eastern France and Catalonia), its production becoming industrial (at the beginning of the last century, Reus counted a hundred factories, compared to less than 10 today), before slowly sinking into oblivion during the 20th century. However, for some years now, this bittersweet drink with its 16-18° has been enjoying renewed success in Catalonia: accompanied by a slice of orange, an olive and an ice cube, it has become an emblem of the aperitif, the word vermut even defining - by extension - the moment when we meet to sip a glass with family or friends. The best thing is to try it!
